the clock strikes midnight
by Kisuru-chan
Summary: After the cupid bee stings Diana, she feels something she's never felt before. Episode 10 centric.


**A/N:** Written as a Multifandom Drabble 2017 exchange gift for makiyakinabe.

Since this episode has a slight Cinderella theme, I decided to make this story the equivalent of the prince giving Cinderella her glass slipper.

* * *

Never in Diana's life had she seen someone as beautiful as Akko. She had been furious at her moments ago. Seriously, she couldn't understand why she had been so angry at her to begin with. But now? Diana was in a dream world of happiness.

Diana felt so _utterly_ satisfied with her declaration of love. She couldn't believe she had said those words! Her entire body tingled and soared. Bubbles of exaltation swarmed like butterflies in her stomach. It was… liberating to finally let that off her chest.

Akko stared at her wide-eyed and disorientated, body uneasily rocking. Sucy watched on eagerly.

Diana turned on her heel. Her heart beat a mile a minute—she couldn't stand the rush of adrenaline. She was so embarrassed and… she had never told anyone she loved them! Not a boy from any of the parties she had ever attended, and most certainly not a beautiful girl. Perhaps it was the thrill at this realization that made her heady. Regardless, she had to do something for the special person that made her of all people, Diana Cavendish of an esteemed magical family, feel this powerful.

Diana produced her wand and waved it. From the green light materialized a shimmering diamond bracelet, the rainbow colors bright under the hallway lights. The band of diamonds fell in Diana's outstretched hand and she held it out.

"Wait—whoah!" Akko leapt back into Sucy. Sucy peered over her shoulder, both smirking and head titled in surprise. "Wa—Diamo… is that a real dia…" She gave up on speaking, cross-eyed.

Purposefully, Diana marched towards Akko and stood in front of her. She gingerly took her hand in hers. How scandalous, how bold! For her to do something like that without asking. Her fingers felt like lava was touching her from their warmth. That was Akko's skin underneath hers… Akko might reject her… but she must go ahead and do this! She slipped the diamond bracelet on Akko's wrist and—to Diana's delight and triumph—it fit perfectly.

"You came here without jewelry," she explained, dazed at the sight of her. The bracelet just brought out something in her dress, though she wasn't sure if it… fit Akko? Perhaps she was overthinking it. She shook her head vigorously. Giving her something nice was the important thing, wasn't it? And Diana had been only given moments to prepare. Naturally, summoning a piece of jewelry of her own from her room had been the quickest option for a present.

"Take it," Diana begged. "It's something that's been lying around my jewelry box for ages… not that I mean it's not worthy of you! I always used to wear this, it's a favorite…" Fidgeting, Diana's face flushed desperately. To her own ears, she was shrieking gibberish Akko didn't want to hear. Akko's warmth radiated through her whole hand and gave her some kind of strength. "It looks beautiful on you!"

Akko would surely faint. She already was beginning to wobble, and she couldn't do that to her. Diana's blush worked up into a deep crimson. She catapulted herself down the hallway and didn't look back. She had made a fool of herself. Behind her, Akko squealed and collapsed to her knees.

* * *

Days later, Diana didn't even feel upset.

Diana was astounded that she wasn't… playing a game of tug of war with herself. Repulsed that she didn't regret what she had done. Common sense said Diana should be chastising herself for confessing feelings she didn't have for Akko. Handing over jewelry from her collection should make her feel regret. Something besides Diana's calm and collected self had taken over her feelings, and she was completely relaxed about it.

The sharp lines in Akko's face played back in her memory. She recalled the way her eyelashes had swayed in her worry. The dress she had worn had complimented her auburn hair perfectly. She remembered the way the bracelet had shone on Akko's wrist. Her heart beat faster at the thought. Akko had been there without permission, yes—but she had taken the initiative to clean up the cupid bee's trail. At least she was responsible, right?

Normally, this didn't happen. She should be angry such a low-maintenance creature had bested her sensibilities. And yet… when she heard the rushed footfalls behind her while she walked to her next class, she couldn't even muster a harsh retort.

"Um, Diana?" Akko held the bracelet out to her. Pink tinged the tips of her ears the more she spoke, and she seemed to be sweating bullets. She wrung her hands nervously. "I think… please take this back?" Her face scrunched up. She helplessly held it out.

Of course she would bother asking. Once Diana wanted to do something, however, she never went back on it. The diamond glittered under the sunlight streaming in through the corridor's window. Diana paused long enough to nonchalantly shrug.

"I gave it to you," Diana told her matter-of-factly. She fixed her eyes on her wand. Her wand had helped her retrieve that bracelet. She had decided on it.

"But—" Akko's feet shuffled nervously. She glanced up at Diana wildly. She looked torn and frazzled and downright guilty. "You weren't yourself when you gave it to me. I can't keep something you really didn't give me. I can't accept s—something this expensive! A—And anyway, it doesn't suit me at all!" Akko's eyes swirled. Her ears turned pinker.

Diana was rarely at a loss for words, and she still wasn't tongue-tied. A flurry of amusement danced in her chest instead. Akko never doubted herself about anything, so she shouldn't about this.

"Yes, well," she glanced over her shoulder at Akko's pleading form and smirked, "I'm in my right state of mind right now. If you don't want to keep it, give it to one of your friends. But consider what I said to be the truth. I do think it does look pretty on you."

Diana left a slack-jawed, awestruck Akko in her wake as she continued down the familiar trek to the classroom. She would consider matters of the heart in extensive detail after her classes were over.

Diana glanced into the courtyard and smiled knowingly at her own reflection. Even if Akko didn't care at all about the diamonds, giving the bracelet to her had been worth it just to touch her hand.


End file.
